Posts Tagged ‘humility’

Signs of the Times: My Prayer

Posted: December 7, 2010 in Christ, community, culture
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It makes me sad that signs like this are even necessary.

Think about it … this is apparently a significant enough issue in our small, beach-side community that someone justified spending $500/month to beg women not to abandon their newborn babies.

Ugh. It’s heart-wrenching!

“Lord, forgive us. You’ve called us to ACT JUSTLY and defend the weak and the powerless. Yet babies are dying on our watch. You’ve also required us to LOVE MERCY so help us have compassion on women who have abandoned (or aborted) their babies — what pain they must be experiencing! May they find peace and healing in Jesus Christ. And help us to WALK HUMBLY before you, remembering that we, ourselves, are saved only by your grace. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

Micah 6:8 (NIV)
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

Micah (part 5c: Faith)

Posted: August 13, 2010 in Bible, Christ, Christianity, community, culture, prophecy
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This is my third & final post answering the question, “What exactly does God want from me anyways?”

“…the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).

WALK HUMBLY WITH YOUR GOD

The third requirement is actually a challenge to live in humility, faith and fellowship with God.

Leslie Allen says it implies a dedicated lifestyle that is in constant remembrance of God’s “grace in the past and of His will for the present, and a readiness to be guided by Him in all life’s ventures.”*

It involves offering God the one thing He truly desires: your heart, its love and its obedience.

What exactly does God want from you?

#1 — He wants you to care about other people (social justice).
#2 — He wants you to love mercy.
#3 — He wants you to walk in humble faith.

Before you discount these as Old Testament concepts, consider Jesus’ rebuke of the Pharisees:

“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things” Matthew 23:23 NLT (emphasis mine).

Any time your Christianity is encapsulated solely in religious practices (church attendance, tithing, volunteering at church, singing worship songs, attending Sunday School, etc.) you are missing the point. According to Jesus, you should continue in those things, but not neglect the more important matters of justice, mercy and faith.

Don’t be a hypocrite!

Extra credit: Read Matthew 7:12; Mark 12:29-31; Ephesians 5:15,17; James 1:27; Leviticus 19:11-18; 1 Samuel 12:24; Amos 5:14; Hosea 12:6; Isaiah 1:17.

Do you see a pattern? Can you find other verses that fit?

The Broiler: Leadership Fire from Above

Posted: March 25, 2009 in leadership
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flamebroiledAs stated previously, the “fire” of leadership in this series is the “passion; energy; or source of motivation” that drives an individual’s personal leadership style. In a BROILER, the fire comes from ABOVE.

A leader who is a “broiler” is consumed with upward mobility; is passionate about personal promotion; is primarily motivated by a desire for individual recognition and invests a great amount of time and energy to get ahead (i.e., to climb the corporate ladder).

A broiler filters decisions on the basis of personal gain: a good decision is one that benefits the broiler; a bad decision is one that results in personal sacrifice (or worse – the promotion of someone else!). Any decision that takes the spotlight off of the broiler will be avoided – even if it’s the right decision.

Broilers need to be noticed. Some broilers will “hire down” to protect their position at the top of the food chain. By recruiting lesser-qualified individuals, the broiler can ensure his/her star shines brightest in the microverse. Ultimately, it is the organization that suffers from a broiler’s insecurity. (more…)